Moving In
by Kira Vulpes
Summary: Ronin decides to help the ninja move into their new home, but finds himself fitting in better than he expected. Set after season 5. Oneshot that I may add on to.


_**Moving In**_

Author's Note: This story takes place not long after season 5, and is a gift piece for my beta, beta-ee, and co-plotter Astrid16.

-All Ninjago awesomeness belongs to Lego and the Hageman brothers!-

* * *

"You can set this box over here, Ronin." Wu's voice drifted from around the corner. Not that Ronin could actually see wherever the old man was pointing. He turned the corner and lowered the large, overstuffed box with a slight groan. What did kids pack these days? He was beginning to wonder if offering to help the ninja move from their failed tea shop—the sorriest business he'd ever been involved with—to this monastery was the best idea.

"No, no, we need those weapons over _here_ ," chided Wu.

"Do you want help moving these boxes or not? R.E.X.'s suspension isn't getting any younger."

Ronin was spared Wu's response by the ninja's arrival.

"Ouch, Cole, would you watch where you're walking? Not all of us are built like rocks!"

"Quit complaining, Jay, you stepped on my feet like five times on the way over!"

"Six," corrected Zane, "but who's counting?"

"…And _then_ you nearly knocked me into water because you couldn't get past the doorframe—"

"Guys." Lloyd's voice. "C'mon. Let's just get this stuff moved. Besides," and here his voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper, "we all know who had the worst time."

Ronin glanced over to see the ninja, arms filled with equally overstuffed boxes, filing into the room. Kai came last, hair covered in sawdust. "I like your new look, hot tamale."

Kai glared at the mercenary. "Just don't even, Ronin."

"I hear it's great for volume, you know? Helps strengthen your roots and get rid of those split ends. And, if you play your cards right, you might even be able to pull off the rugged cowboy hero look. We all know you need help with the ladies—"

A choking sound from Cole as he desperately tried to smother his laughter.

" _Ahem_." Wu cleared his throat, making the ninja jump. "I'm sure we can arrange to make box-carrying part of your training for the day unless you'd like to start unpacking?"

"Yes, Sensei," the ninja chorused, and Ronin figured that was his exit cue. He'd flown most of their stuff over on R.E.X., so he'd done his part already. It wasn't like he was getting paid to help them move. He slipped past them and headed back to his ship. He hadn't been kidding about the suspension; might as well make sure everything was in order.

R.E.X. sat in the central courtyard of the monastery, stacks of moving boxes piled around him. He was a handsome ship, really, and one that had seen Ronin through more than his share of scrapes. And while hanging around the ninja was becoming less strange, R.E.X. was still the only place Ronin really considered home.

He admired his ship a moment longer, remembering the look of surprise on Morro's gloating face when he'd upended most of his savings on the ghost. And now, with Soul Archer permanently gone, he was free.

…Which meant what, exactly?

 _Time to check R.E.X's suspension, that's what_. He crawled under the ship with familiar ease, switching his eyepatch's light on as he glanced over some of the tubes and hoses nestled beneath the body of the helicopter. Looking good, no signs of rust or strain. Excellent. Although what was that speck near the engine case? Better just be dirt kicked up and not anything leaking—

"Hey, Ronin!"

He jerked his head up, slamming it into the mechanical underbelly of the ship. He wasn't sure what words, exactly, came out of his mouth, but judging by the slightly worried tone of the "are you alright?" that followed, he'd said plenty. He wriggled back out into daylight, squinting at the petite feminine silhouette above him. "Hey, sweetheart. Doin' just fine."

Nya cocked her head at him as he stood up. "What're you working on?"

"Is this about taking a look at R.E.X. again? I told you already, no one touches him."

"Expect the ninja when you loaned him out, and today with everyone moving, and didn't you give my brother a ride? And me?"

He waved his hand airily. "You guys had my permission and were being closely supervised."

"Even through the auto-pilot."

"I have my ways."

Nya shook her head with a smile. "Anyone ever told you might be just a little paranoid?"

"Nope."

She raised an eyebrow. "Never?"

"Not at all. They go for the full accusation."

It took her a second, but then she rolled her eyes. "You're impossible." And before he could react, she'd snatched the conical hat from his head.

"What the—give that back!" He lunged for it, but she'd been expecting him and darted back quickly with a laugh.

She put the hat on her head. "I'm Ronin. You see that ship over there? I built him, all the way from just a little screw. They grow up so fast, don't they?"

"I don't even sound like that!"

He made a few more snatches for his hat, but she evaded him with a grin and ran towards R.E.X.

"Oh no, don't you even think about it!"

"Not thinking, doing!" she called back. She clambered up into the cockpit with more grace than he'd expected, and for a moment all he could see was the sunlight filtering through her hair and her mischievous expression and that damn cute laugh—

Ronin blinked and the moment vanished. Now Nya was standing in front of the pilot's chair, wearing his hat at a jaunty angle as she flung out her arms beside her. "I'm Ronin and I'm the captain here! Anyone touch my ship and I'll cut off their hand! Scourge of the skies and breaker of all ladies' hearts because this here ship is the only one for me!"

She was standing. In his ship.

"Get out!" Ronin sprang forward with a glare.

"Careful, you miscreant, you might break something! And I paid a _lot_ of good money for that! Good ships like this are hard to come by!"

And then to make things worse he heard laughter. He paused mid-step, glancing at the side of R.E.X. to see Kai and the other ninja getting more boxes. Kai was struggling to pick up another box as his sides shook. "You tell him, Nya!"

Ronin shook his head and turned back to R.E.X., ready to evict Nya, but she'd vanished.

"Looking for this?"

He jumped, surprised and more than a little impressed that she'd snuck up on him like that. She carefully leaned forward to set his hat back on his head. And before he knew what was happening, she'd angled his hat to block his face from the ninja and her lips were brushing against his—

Wait, hold on, _what_?

"That's for caring," she winked as she pulled back. "Try not to forget it."

Then she was walking away like nothing had happened. The ninja were still chuckling, unaware, and Ronin could only stare like an idiot for a few solid seconds and wonder what in Ninjago he'd gotten himself into.

Whatever it was… he liked it.

Until Wu was lecturing him for putting a box of something or other in the wrong spot.

 _Can't win 'em all_ , he thought with a resigned sigh, but he was still smiling.

* * *

A/N: I had originally intended to post this on Valentine's, but got caught up in some other stuff. Still, close enough!

So yes, I'm a proud fan of Ronya, a ship that needs some more love in the fandom! ;) Jaya's nice and all, but Nya always struck me as having a more natural relationship with Ronin, like Judy and Nick from _Zootopia_. Why has Ninjago brushed aside such potential? My theory is that things with great chemistry appear too much for the show to handle— hence no Seliel either. ;)

Ronin's just awesome period, though.

And Nya actually hadn't planned on kissing him, either...

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed! :D


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